Which term describes adherence to an underlying construct that represents the guiding purpose of a test?

Which term describes adherence to an underlying construct that represents the guiding purpose of a test?

• A. Construct validity
• B. Criterion-related validity
• C. Diagnostic assessment
• D. Open syllable

Answer: (A)

Construct validity is the degree to which a test actually measures the theoretical idea it’s meant to assess and the items, scoring, and overall design align with that underlying construct. It’s about whether the test reflects the guiding purpose and concept behind what it’s trying to measure, not just about predicting something else or covering unrelated skills. Evidence for this kind of validity comes from how well the test items map onto the construct’s dimensions, how scores relate to other measures in expected ways, and how groups known to differ on the construct actually perform. If the test truly targets the intended construct, the results behave in line with theory about that construct. Criterion-related validity, by contrast, concerns predicting external outcomes; diagnostic assessment describes a use of assessment for identifying specific weaknesses; open syllable is a phonics term unrelated to validity.

Construct validity is the degree to which a test actually measures the theoretical idea it’s meant to assess and the items, scoring, and overall design align with that underlying construct. It’s about whether the test reflects the guiding purpose and concept behind what it’s trying to measure, not just about predicting something else or covering unrelated skills. Evidence for this kind of validity comes from how well the test items map onto the construct’s dimensions, how scores relate to other measures in expected ways, and how groups known to differ on the construct actually perform. If the test truly targets the intended construct, the results behave in line with theory about that construct. Criterion-related validity, by contrast, concerns predicting external outcomes; diagnostic assessment describes a use of assessment for identifying specific weaknesses; open syllable is a phonics term unrelated to validity.